Comeback Crew making believers, too

COLLEGE STATION — Two years ago, Texas A&M closed out its regular season with a home game against Missouri.

Get ready for the encore, with a ton more on the line when the Aggies take on the Tigers at 1 p.m. Saturday in Reed Arena.

In 2007, the Aggies already were assured of an NCAA tournament bid, but behind All-American point guard Acie Law and journeyman coach Billy Gillispie, A&M went ahead and whipped the Tigers 94-78 anyway.

“These guys have shown me how to believe,” a tearful Gillispie said after the game, “at a much greater level than I’ve ever been able to believe.”

Now, A&M’s current bunch is showing it didn’t take only Gillispie and Law to work some magic — and make believers — late in the season. Following Wednesday night’s 72-66 comeback victory at Colorado, the Aggies have won five consecutive games in Big 12 play, following a 3-7 start.

The Comeback Crew is above .500 for the first time all season in league play.

With a victory Saturday against No. 15 Mizzou, they’re all but assured of a fourth consecutive NCAA tournament bid. Without? They’d rather not take their chances.

“I think we were nervous,” A&M coach Mark Turgeon told reporters of his team’s slow start against the Buffaloes. “This was a huge game for us. We were 3-7 … and now we’re 8-7, and we have a chance. We were a little nervous starting the game and I had to tell (the players), ‘Let’s just play the way we’re capable of playing.’ We did and a lot of guys stepped up and made a lot of great plays.”

Will Reed be sold out Saturday? It had better be, with so much riding on the game. It’s also a chance to bid adieu to the young man most responsible for A&M’s recent run –senior guard Josh Carter. He’s been a key part of four teams that have made believers in A&M’s best stretch of basketball in history.